Truck body loader



y 21, 1963 J. RUSSE-LL 3,384,251

TRUCK BODY LOADER Filed Oct. 21, 1965 l l l l --L I I l JOSEPH F.RUSSELL INVENTOR.

United States Patent 3,384,251 TRUCK BODY LOADER Joseph F. Russell,Lexington, Mass., assignor to Henry B. Russell and Sons, Inc.,Cambridge, Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts Filed Oct. 21, 1965,Ser. No. 499,183 6 Claims. (Cl. 214-302) This invention relates to truckbodies and, more specifically, to an improved refuse compaction truckbody unit.

Basically, there are two designs for truck bodies in the refusecollection arts; namely, the front loader and the rear loader. Both arewell suited for many applications in the collection of both industrialrefuse and municipal refuse.

The front loader type truck has a body with an opening for refuse at thetop. A pair of arms, extending along the sides of the cab, picks up apre-loaded refuse container located on the ground in front of the caband lifts it over the cab. When the container is in the overheadposition, it is caused to tip over and discharge its contents into thetop opening or hopper to be compacted. Thereafter, the arms lower thecontainer back to ground level and the containers are ready to berefilled.

The rear loader type truck has an opening in the rear panel into whichpre-loaded containers are emptied. As additionally distinguished fromthe front loader, the rear loader type truck is capable of acceptingrefuse from hand-held containers as well as the industrial sizecontainers, while in the front loading operation, all refuse must befirst placed in a large container which is then emptied.

In the rear loader operation, the large containers are usually set onthe ground and the truck is backed up to the front of the container sothat it is adjacent the opening or hopper in the rear truck panel. Awinch, located atop the truck body, is used to take up or shorten acable having its free end connected to the far end of the container. Theforward end of the container is caused to mate with a narrow extensionon the lower edge of the hopper, whereby when the cable is shortened toraise the far end of the container, the front end is maintained at thelowest level of the hopper opening and the refuse in the container isdischarged into the hopper opening.

While both systems have their particular merits as well as drawbacks,neither system is, as presently constituted, equipped to deal with themost desirable setup at industrial installations. Specifically, in bothsystems of loading, the refuse container must be at ground level beforeits contents may be discharged into the loading hopper of the refusetruck. In the front loader, the refuse container is located in the frontof the truck, while in the rear type of loader, either the hand-heldcontainers such as barrels or the large industrial type containers arelocated on the ground at the rear of the truck body.

The most desirable circumstances, insofar as industrial refusecollection is concerned, is the situation wherein either the barrel orthe industrial containers are located on a loading dock or platformwhich may also be used by the industrial installation for shipping andreceiving. In practice, the loading dock or platform has a canopythereover for the protection of any material placed thereon. It shouldbe obvious therefore that, in the absence of any large refuse containeron the loading platform, it becomes rapidly cluttered with refuse duringinclement weather when plant personnel is most reluctant to take therefuse out to a container at ground level. It, therefore, becomes highlydesirable to have a container located on a loading platform that may bedischarged directly into the hopper of a refuse truck or compactionunit.

This compaction unit would become considerably more desirable to therubbish removal art if it were capable of "ice being utilized withcontainers located either at ground level or on a loading platform. Inthis manner, the same compaction unit, on its regular tour, would beable to service any installation whether its refuse containers werelocated either at ground level or up on a loading platform.

In accordance with the principles of my invention, I am able to providea compaction unit capable of servicing either barrels or industrialrefuse containers, both at ground level or at a higher level such asupon a loading platform, by providing at the rear of the compaction unita bumper and ledge assembly together with an associated hook assembly,the combination tailored to accept the refuse container at either of thetwo levels.

It is, therefore, an important object of the present invention toprovide a refuse compaction unit capable of accepting refuse containerslocated above ground level.

Another important object of the present invention is to provide a refusecompaction unit capable of accepting refuse containers either aboveground level or at ground level.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a rearloader type compaction unit capable of accepting refuse containerseither above ground level or at ground level.

Yet another important object of the present invention is to provide arear loader type compaction unit capable of accepting both barrels orpre-loaded industrial containers either above ground level or at groundlevel.

The features of my invention which I believe to be novel are set forthwith particularity in the appended claims. My invention itself, however,both as to its organization and method of operation, together withfurther objects and advantages thereof, may best be understood byreference to the following description taken in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of the loading hopper of a rearloaded compaction unit before modification;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary perspective view of the loading lhopper of arear loaded compaction unit showing my invention thereon; and

FIG. 3 is an elevation view of a rear loaded compaction unit showing thecooperation of my invention with an industrial refuse container that islocated on a loadin g platform.

Referring now to FIG. 1, there is shown a compaction unit 10 having arear loading hopper 12 into which refuse is loaded through opening 14.In units of this sort, the compaction unit is delivered from themanufacturer with a bar 16 running the width of the unit at the loweredge of opening 14. When it is desired to discharge refuse containersinto opening 14, the whole truck 10 is backed up until the forward edgeof the refuse container makes contact with loading hopper 12 at anapproximate area designated by the brackets 18.1 and 18.2. Thereafter, ahook 20 is engaged with a corresponding loop at the opposite end of therefuse container and the opposite end is then raised when cable 20.1 isshortened by the action of winch 22, the action of which is controlledby the operator. As the far end of the container is raised, the frontend of the container (not shown) is lowered until it mates with thejunction of bar 16 and hopper 12. The entire container is thuseventually raised to the point where gravity causes the refuse in thecontainer to flow into hopper 12.

Referring now to FIG. 2, there is shown the lower bar 16, affixed tohopper 12, for engagement or mating with refuse containers located atground level and, together with bumpers 24.1 and 24.2, for engagementwith refuse containers located above ground level. Bumpers 24.1 and 24.2have ledges 26.1 and 26.2, respectively,

associated therewith afiixed directly to the sides of hopper 12immediately adjacent opening 14 defining a pair of channels so that theforward end of refuse containers, located approximately 4-5 feet abveground level, may be mated to the compaction unit and the refusedischarged into open-ing 14. Bumpers 24.1 and 24.2 have S-shaped hooks36.1 and 36.2 welded thereon so that a canvas curtain (not shown) may beextended across a portion of opening 14 when refuse containers are beingdischarged from positions above ground level.

Mode of operation Referring now to FIG. 3 for a description of theoperation of my device, reference is made to truck 10 having hopper 12located at the rear thereof. In this view, truck 10 is backed up to aloading platform 28 having a refuse container 30 located thereon. Whenthe truck is in position, winch 22 allows cable 20.1 to be extended sothat hook 20 may mate with loop 32 located at the far end of container30 (shown in dotted configuration). As cable 20.1 is shortened causingthe far end of container 30 to be raised, the front end 34 of container30 mates with ledges 26.1 and 26.2 which are forward of bumpers 24.1 and24.2, respectively. Since ledges 26.1 and 26.2 are located below theuppermost reaches of bumpers 24.1 and 24.2, front edge 34 will be matedwith and contained within the confines of the area between the bumpersand the body of hopper 12.

To prevent spillage while in this position, it is expedient to use acurtain extending between hooks 36.1, 36.2 and bar 16. Since this maytake the form of either a hanging weighted curtain or any roll-updevice, i.e. window shades, no detailed exegesis is necessary.

Thus, with the canvas supported on a bar extending between hooks 36.1and 36.2, barrels may be discharged from the loading platform directlyinto opening 14, making it additionally convenient for operators toperform the discharging operation for barrels. Similarly, should mydevice be used with large industrial containers located at ground level,the removal of the curtain will allow the unimpeded discharge of eitherbarrels or industrial containers into opening 14 by conventional means.

While I have described what is presently considered the preferredembodiment of my invention, it will be obvious to those skilled in theart that various other changes and modifications may be made thereinwithout departing from the inventive concept and, it is aimed in theappended claims to cover all such changes and modifications as fallwithin the true spirit and scope of my invention.

I claim:

1. An improved refuse compaction unit, the combination comprising:

a rear loaded hopper;

a substantially rectangular opening having upper and lower edges and apair of side edges in the rear of the hopper through which refuse isintroduced thereinto:

first support means located at and defining the lower edge of theopening for mating with a refuse con tainer located at ground level;

second support means having a pair of substantially vertically disposedbumper members extending vertically and parallel to the side edges ofthe opening;

one end of each bumper member rigidly afiixed to the hopper at the loweredge opening, the other end extending toward the upper edge opening; and

a pair of horizontally disposed support ledges respectively afiixed toand extending between each other end of each bumper member and thatportion of the hopper adjacent the vertical side edges of the opening tomate with containers located above ground level.

2. The unit of claim 1 wherein:

the first support means is a structure of solid material rigidly atfixedto the hopper below the lower edge of the opening formed wherein toallow ground level containers to mate with the compaction unit at thejunction of the first support means and the hopper.

. The unit of claim 2 further comprising:

a pair of S-shaped hooks affixed to the uppermost ends of the bumpers;and

a curtain having one end supported on the S-shaped hooks and extendingdown toward the first support means defining the lower edge of theopening.

4. In an improved refuse compaction unit of the kind having a rearloaded hopper with a substantially rectangular orifice therein intowhich refuse is introduced, the orifice being defined by upper and loweredges and a pair of side edges in the rear of the hopper, thecombination comprising:

first support means located at and defining the lower edge of theorifice for mating with a refuse container located at ground level;second support means having a pair of substantially vertically disposedbumper members extending vertically and parallel to the side edges ofthe open 8;

one end of each bumper member rigidly afiixed to the hopper at the loweredge opening, the other end extending toward the upper edge opening; and

a pair of horizontally disposed support ledges respect fully aflixed toand extending between each other end of each bumper member and thatportion of the hopper adjacent the vertical side edges of the opening,to mate with containers located above ground level.

5. The unit of claim 4 wherein:

the first support means is a structure of solid material rigidly affixedto the hopper below the lower edge of the opening formed therein toallow ground level containers to mate with the compaction unit at thejunction of the first support means and the hopper.

6. The unit of claim '5 further comprising:

a pair of S-shaped hooks atfixed to the uppermost ends of the bumpers;and

a curtain having one end supported on the S-shaped hooks and extendingdown toward the first support means defining the lower edge of theorifice.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS HUGO O. SCHULZ, Primdry Examiner.

1. AN IMPROVED REFUSE COMPACTION UNIT, THE COMBINATION COMPRISING: AREAR LOADED HOPPER; A SUBSTANTIALLY RECTANGULAR OPENING HAVING UPPER ANDLOWER EDGES AND A PAIR OF SIDE EDGES IN THE REAR OF THE HOPPER THROUGHWHICH REFUSE IS INTRODUCED THEREINTO; FIRST SUPPORT MEANS LOCATED AT ANDDEFINING THE LOWER EDGE OF THE OPENING FOR MATING WITH A REFUSECONTAINER LOCATED AT GROUND LEVEL; SECOND SUPPORT MEANS HAVING A PAIR OFSUBSTANTIALLY VERTICALLY DISPOSED BUMPER MEMBERS EXTENDING VERTICALLYAND PARALLEL TO THE SIDE EDGES OF THE OPENING; ONE END OF EACH BUMPERMEMBER RIGIDLY AFFIXED TO THE HOPPER AT THE LOWER EDGE OPENING, THEOTHER END EXTENDING TOWARD THE UPPER EDGE OPENING; AND A PAIR OFHORIZONTALLY DISPOSED SUPPORT LEDGES RESPECTIVELY AFFIXED TO ANDEXTENDING BETWEEN EACH OTHER END OF EACH BUMPER MEMBER AND THAT PORTIONOF THE HOPPER ADJACENT THE VERTICAL SIDE EDGES OF THE OPENING TO MATEWITH CONTAINERS LOCATED ABOVE GROUND LEVEL.